Sports That Made Taka Change
by everything.minni
Summary: No one ever knew how much sports made the bored indifferent Taka change. It was fate that they learned about each other through sports they played together. Sports do form great relationships. Taka Honjou X OC Hitomi Sakuraba . Chapter three is posted.
1. Baseball Tryouts: Interesting

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first Eyeshield 21 fanfic. I really love Taka Honjou for no real reason so I wanted to make this story so bad and I have it all the way past the actual Eyeshield 21 manga. Also is anyone sad that the manga has come to an end?! I am. I was almost crying out my eyeballs and I was at a babyshower that my mother and friend hosted. I hope they make another sequal because it is so good. In the story Taka is younger but still has his laid back bored attiuted but has more emotions. Also the OC's name is Hitomi Sakuraba. She will always be my OC for Eyeshield 21 and for a good reason. Also the rating will change to T when Hiruma appears and M when they get older but the first couple of chapters should be K+ unless you find the word 'sexist' or 'sexism' unappropite. Also they are in seventh grade. Also it will be similar to the manga and anime except for the fact that it really follows Taka's and Hitomi's lives until they get involved in American Football and then it will stray every now and then to go to Hiruma or someone else.

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN EYESHIELD 21! NEVER HAD AND NEVER WILL BECAUSE TAKA WOULD BE IN IT A LOT MORE AND THE MANGA WOULD NOT HAVE ENDED! ALSO TAKERU YAMATO AND KARIN KOIZIMU WOULD BE MARRIED REALLy SOON HIRUMA AND MAMORI WOULD BE HAVING THEIR FOURTH BABY! SO YA-HA I DO NOT OWN THIS! ^_^ ON WITH CHAPTER ICHI!**

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**SPORT'S THAT MADE TAKA CHANGE**

By: Soraea

_Chapter One: Baseball Tryouts: Interesting_

Maybe it was just me, the heat, or even my nonexistent imagination. On the other hand, maybe, like most of the time, I was right when I saw a girl, maybe a year younger than me, sitting on the benches with her head down. Her light bluish-blackish hair was put in a non-caringly manner in her black and blue baseball hat.

"Hitomi Sakuraba?" the coach asked uncertainly, the coach being my famous baseball-playing father, Honjou-senshu. Who wouldn't say her name as if she shouldn't be here? The name was obviously feminine meaning that a _**'girl'**_ was trying out for a baseball team. Now this was not something you see everyday or even every year. _**'Girls' **_didn't play baseball with the boys because they just didn't so I had to give this _**'girl' **_some credit for trying out for the baseball team. Who knew, maybe she was even _"good"_.

"H-Hai?" a meek voice came from the meek looking Hitomi. When she finally looked up, she just turned red from embarrassment from the unneeded attention. She kept looking anywhere that was not one of the boy's curious faces, though I did not think she needed to with all that hair covering her eyes. Her eyes, I believe even though I did not see them, in the process locked with mine and her face went back to its normal deadly pale color. As her color resumed, determination started to radiate off her.

That is when I seemed to remember the meek girl. She lived with her aunt, grandmother, and grandfather at a funeral home that they owned. Her house was not that far away from mine, just a merely two kilometers. She was born in Nagasaki and only lived in Osaka because of her constant illnesses, needed medical attention plus she refused to live in Tokyo to receive that medical attention.

I was not a stalker because I have never liked a girl in my whole life; I had better issues to worry me. I just merely knew this because we have went to the same school _**AND **_have been in the same class since our second year of Kindergarten, she had been to sick to attend the first year of Kindergarten. I remember that she had walked in very happy to meet people her age, but she was very shy, lonely, very clumsy, and of course meek. We were not friends though. The only times we talked was when we _**HAD**_ to talk to each other because of some project and yet even then few words were exchanged between us.

I knew that for a girl her age, or any age, she excelled at sports. She could run, kick, punch, climb, jog, sprint, and weight lift yet she never put it to good use. She was always meek, and most likely would remain meek. However, even though she was outstanding at sports, I was still a bit surprised to see her here trying out for a boy's baseball team.

Sure, there were not any rules _**NOT**_ allowing girls to play but the boys just did not let the girls play. It was sort of like a sexist thing, a sexist sport, and everyone that had ever been near Hitomi _**KNEW**_ that Hitomi was against sexism _**A LOT**_. She could not stand sexism, or animal abuse, or child abuse, or any type of abuse, or racism. Those were the only things she would stand up for and well her family and sports but she wouldn't stand up for herself and I found that just a little interesting in the meek, small, petite girl.

"You want to try out for the baseball team with all _**'BOYS'**_?" My father asked putting emphasis on 'boys'.

Hitomi only nodded her lowered head. Some boys scoffed, while others praised Hitomi with their eyes, while the others just checked her out to see if they saw anything about her they liked. Only I did not look interested in Hitomi Sakuraba.

Even my father looked interested. My father's eyes shone with interest and surprise.

"Okay then Sakuraba-chan, show me your run around the bases", my father instructed as he looked at the meek girl. Hitomi stood up carefully but her whole stance was not the one that she wore at school, this stance was a firm, strong, independent, confident, and determined one. Emotions you never feel or see from this girl.

She started to walk over to home base when her left shoulder and my right shoulder accidentally bumped into each other and our eyes met. Her determination only seemed to grow more and a pink blush formed on her deadly pale face. She then quickly walked away to home base ready to run back to home base. I knew she was a good runner so I was expecting a good time. This time the interest slightly showed on my face as I turned around to stare at Hitomi on home base waiting patiently for my father to give her the signal to start.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know it was short and weird but at least review or if you want to flame me as hard as you want just consider the poor heart you will break. I promise it gets better! My version of better so lets hope we have similar ideas of better!**

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	2. After Tryouts: Emotions

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you are reading this story please review. I've only gotten one review and it makes me feel bad. I know I sound desperate but I should have posted the other chapter to my other story but I was typing this one and I only get one review. I must thank you to my only reviewer, Hana Kaitani! Thank you a lot. This is the second chapter. It's longer and I hope you like it. I think I made Maseru Honjou, Taka's father, a little OC but then we really don't know his character. I will start drawing pictures for each of my story and posting it on Deviant. I'll put links on my long profile! Here is chapter two and please review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Eyeshield 21 because I would have made another four sequals to it by now. Eyeshield 21 would live forever so I don't own it. I only own Hitomi but I don't own her last name!

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Previously in Chapter One:

_She stared to walk over to home base when her left shoulder and my right shoulder accidentally bumped into each other and our eyes met. Her determination only seemed to grow more and a pink blush formed on her deadly pale skin. She then quickly walked away to home base ready to run back to home base. I knew she was a good runner so I was expecting a good time. This time the interest slightly showed on my face as I turned around to stare at Hitomi on home base waiting patiently for my father to give her the signal to start. _

**SPORT'S THAT MADE TAKA CHANGE**

By: Soraea

_Chapter Two: After Tryouts: Emotions_

Tryouts for the baseball team had finally ended. Mostly everyone was tired and sweaty; some even in heaps on the ground, except for does who had talent, including me. I knew that tonight my father would stay up until he decided who would be chosen for the team. Three-hundred and forty-one boys had tried out and only one _**'girl' **_had tried out. We only could have twenty-one players on the first team, forty-two players on the second team, and only eight-four players for the third team. The second and third team members would only act as back-ups but would be required to come to practice everyday and work as hard as the first team everyday.

"Sakuraba-chan! Could you wait just a moment? I need to talk to talk to you", my father said to the retreating form of small, meek, petite Hitomi. She slowly turned around.

"Hai H-Honjou-senshu", she quietly stuttered out. She lowered her head and stared at the dusty ground as she made her way to my father and me. She stopped a pretty good distance from us. A distance that was farther than arms length.

As soon as she looked up my father's cell phone wrung. He looked at the caller ID and said, "Sorry I have to take this call. Um Sakuraba-chan you would not mind staying here with my son, Taka. This call should not even take a minute." He had a hint of pride when he said my name, like I was the most important thing in the world.

Hitomi took a second or two pondering on whether she wanted to be in the same presence as me, alone, which was interesting considering the fact that we have not only been going to the same school but have had _**ALL **_of our classes together ever since the second year of Kindergarten, sometimes sitting next to each other. When she finally shook her head no to my father, he had already gone to the benches to talk while he left Hitomi and I alone in the outer outfield.

She finally looked up and her face, what little of it she revealed, was covered in a blood red blush. I felt my face flush, if that is even possible and then heat up somewhat, which was scarier than flushing in my opinion.

Hitomi turned her head to where my father was, at the benches talking to probably my always-worried mother. "Hmmmm, I-it must be n-nice to h-have a f-f-father who t-thinks you're h-his whole w-world", Hitomi quietly whispered to herself I presume. Even if it was not directed at me I could still hear her soft words, as soft and quiet as water as they were drowned out by the furious winds. Her present blush was not on her face anymore. Her eyes and head, for once, were tilted back to look at the sky blue cloud-fill sky. I wonder why she of all people would say that.

Then I seemed to remember the fourth-grade conversation we had to have. Our fourth-grade teacher, in whom Hitomi probably did not like, had told us to tell a little about ourselves to our designated partner who sat across from us. Hitomi and I were partners and everything seemed uncomfortable, like her presence bothered, me and my presence bothered her, a lot. Well, that was the day I learned that Hitomi was always sick and was used to the word death around her. The hospital, doctors, and nurse knew her by name and she them. That her aunt, the one she was living with, was a pediatrician who was always helping sick kids, in Tokyo. She also lived with her father's mother and father's father, who owned a funeral home in Osaka, Nagasaki, and Hiroshima. Her other, distant, relatives from her father side were in charge of the other two funeral homes in Nagasaki and Hiroshima while they took care of the one in Osaka.

She had told me all of this in less than three minutes and very softly so it was hard to hear her. I then asked her about her father, mother, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles she may have. She had looked depressed and had said, quieter than the last time, that she had an older brother, by a year, and her father was not here anymore. She refused to talk about her mother or her mother's side of the family or anything that involved family or friends, which by the look of it did not have any.

"Is it because your father is not here anymore?" I finally asked her. She looked; again, I always have to presume, at me as her popular blush appeared once again on her face. She looked downward after a good minute and started to shuffle her feet. Her left hand covered her right hand as she pressed them against her knees.

"I-I-I-I……………… g-g-guess", she finally managed to stutter out. She always seemed to be stutter more around me and less when she was nervous, which meant I usually made her nervous. She finally looked up to only look down again in a quick motion.

"You know you have to get used to me some day, right? We have gone to the same school and had the same classes since the second year of Kindergarten. We just started the seventh grade and you are still nervous around me despite the fact that we have been going to the same school for now nine years. And we will probably spend more time because we will both probably make the first team so I don't see why you're still nervous around me", I said quite coolly, collected, and bored even though I've never said this much to someone I did not know well.

She finally looked up while her blush faded to a light rose pink that was only present on her nose. "I k-k-know. T-T-T-Taka-san j-j-just s-seems t-t-to m-m-make me n-n-n-nervous, a l-lot", Hitomi quietly stuttered as she locked her gaze with mine, I felt it.

Then we just stood there and stared at each other. Her blush still in tact on her small pointy nose. The harsh wind knocked her baseball cap off as her un-neatly braided pigtails came out of her funny shape bun. With her braided down pigtails down you could see that her hair was actually neatly done, by probably her aunt or grandmother, and had two ribbons on each pigtail.

The hair that covered her deadly pale face that was blushing moved with the wind in unison but never showed her cheeks or eyes.

I felt the wind move my bangs over my eyes and back.

In addition, we just kept staring, I presume again, at each other with the wind moving our dirty clothes and hair until my father asked, with an amused voice I should say, "Ahhhh. I didn't disturb anything between you two now did I because if I did I will leave you two to your privacy."

We both stopped gazing at each other when I said, "No we were not father."

Hitomi nodded her head in agreement as her braided down pigtails jumped up and down on her shoulders. Her face turned a more violent shade of red as she started to tie her pigtails into a messy bun rather quickly. She then picked up her blue and black baseball cap from the dusty ground and smacked it to get the dust out. When all the dust, or all the dust she could see, was out she put her baseball cap back over her messy braided down pigtail bun.

"Okay Sakuraba-chan. I hope you do not mind my son hearing this. You're not in trouble but rather I have to ask you some questions and a favor of you", my father said after a while at silently musing at Hitomi and me. I honestly did not see what was so funny in this type of situation.

Again Hitomi took a second or two to answer my father's question as if she was actually thinking about the consequences of what she was about to allow me to hear, unlike most people. She finally nodded her head faintly with no regrets.

"Okay. I realized that you are really underweight for your age, even for a girl. You're not anorexic, are you?" My father asked with obvious discomfort.

I did not know that Hitomi was underweight. That is when I finally decided to actually look at her body. Her clothes were obviously too big on her and yet when you looked at them they seemed even small. What size does this girl wear? Other than that, you could see her bony wrists and hands coming out of her larger T-Shirt. Her ankles and below did not look as bony though but were extremely fleshless. How did she survive all these years this bony looking? How much did she weigh, anyways? Because with the way she looked I am sure that not only was she super underweight but she was probably too skinny even to be anorexic. I have seen dead people that have more flesh on them than she has on her.

The only places in which her body had flesh were her face; I think her cheeks were chubby because they always seemed to stick out even with her hair covering them. I also think her torso was not as skinny but her tummy never elevated from its flat level.

"No. I do not have anorexia nervosa. I have an illness that does not allow me to gain fat", she said in a strong, clear, rare voice. She seemed to be annoyed by my father's little assumption.

"Okay. Next question. Can you see well with all that hair in your face?"

"Yes I can. I'm j-just a l-little clumsy", she answered in a meek quiet voice. Her voice this time didn't even seem remotely the same as her last voice.

"Hehehe. I can see by the way you fell when you were walking on your own two feet", my father laughed out amused at Hitomi's little acts of clumsiness. Hitomi's nose turned a tint pink as she stared at her feet.

"Sorry about laughing but it reminded me of when little Taka kept falling when I was teaching him how to play baseball", my father laughed out again. He was now bringing me into this unneeded conversation when I honestly didn't need to be in it.

Hitomi looked up and stared at me as my father said "little Taka". She looked curiously at me and seemed to just remember I was here.

"Oh", she quietly said.

After another thirty seconds of laughter my father said, "Last question. You're a really good player but I need to know if you'll be affected by being surrounded by boys? Or you're not just trying out so you can tell your girly friends about all the guys on the team?"

Hitomi seemed to have a shocked expression on her face when my father finished. She quietly, well more quiet for her voice that it sounded like nothing, replied, "No, I wouldn't get distracted because I've been closer to males my whole life and I've never felt any attraction to them. And I'm not doing this to tell my friends because I have none. I just want to play baseball because I just really want to try and do something right and do something fun and worth wild."

My father looked at her and said, "Could you please repeat that? I didn't hear your soft voice."

Hitomi took a second to ponder on if she really wanted to repeat something most people don't want to ever say in their lifetime before she nodded her head.

She was about to open her mouth when I said to my father, while still looking at Hitomi, "She said that no she won't get distracted by males, she's not physical attracted to them, she won't tell her 'friends' because she doesn't have friends, and she does want to play baseball for the fun of it and to do something right."

I could feel my father's gaze on me as Hitomi stared at me, her blush gone. My father than started to stare between us. His gaze finally landed on Hitomi, silently asking if what I just repeated was true.

Hitomi finally snapped out of it and looked down as she nodded, agreeing with me. My father just nodded, a look of pity on his face for Hitomi.

His genuine wild smile spread across his face as he said, "I bet you and Taka would get along well. He may even be your best friend before the season is over. I mean you two are alike in a lot of ways and the upside is you both like each other."

I was mortified that he thought I liked meek little Hitomi. Sure when I was younger I had maybe a slight little really little crush on her, for a week and it was more like I was interested in her more than anything, but now I really didn't well care about her.

Hitomi didn't take this better than I did. Actually she took it worse. Her face and neck turned blood red. Her eyes, if you could see them, were bugging out. She weakly stuttered, "W-W-W-W-What? I d-d-don't l-l-like T-T-T-T-T-T-Taka-san!

"Same here! I-I don't like H-H-Hitomi-san!" I uncharacteristically stuttered out.

My father was about as amused as amused got. His smile just got bigger and he was laughing slightly. "Sure", he said suspiciously.

"No really we don't like each other!" Hitomi and I screamed at the same time. We looked at each other and then quickly looked away after sharing eye contact for three seconds. I felt my face heat up slightly again.

My father only looked more amused as I believed that I would be scarred for life.

"Your faces are priceless!" My father managed to say after two minutes of fretful laughter.

I felt my face heat up even more. I took a quick peek at Hitomi to see that she was also looking at me. Her hair wasn't covering her left eye and I could see her pupil staring at me out of the corner.

When she noticed my stare she swiftly turned her head the other way, blushing even harder.

My father went back to laughing again noticing our new encounter.

I felt stupid standing here as my father laughed his head off at Hitomi and me, claiming we 'liked' each other.

A muffled, "Nandomo tsumaduite wa, Ashiato furikaeru, Okubyou na kono kimochi, BANE ni shite, Habatakou", could be heard from Hitomi's sports bag. Her head immediately snapped up as soon as she heard the first word.

"E-Excuse me for a moment", she quietly said. She then quickly ran to her sports bag. She reached into the side pocket and pulled out her blue and white cellphone, her blush off her face. She then picked up her cellphone quickly but seemed to have already missed the call.

She seemed frighten as she kept looking at her cellphone before she ran up to my now quiet father and me. Her sports bag was on her left shoulder as her right hand held her cellphone for her dear life. She looked absolutely scared as she quickly said, "M-May I please l-leave. My a-aunt would g-get worried. I-I'm suppose to be h-home before e-eight or I'll be in trouble! N-Now it's e-eight t-thirty!"

"Oh. Sorry for keeping you out late Sakuraba-chan", my father said truly sorry. I let a sigh of relief slip accidentally. I didn't want to deal with any more 'Hitomi' for now but I thought too soon.

My father looked at me and then got a sly grin on his face, the one my mother said that meant trouble. He then smiled at Hitomi who was bowing about to say 'Thank You, Honjou-senshu', probably when my father said, "Taka here can walk you home. Seeing we only live two kilometers away from each other."

I looked at my father as if he had just grew nine heads which was similar to making me walk Hitomi home. Hitomi was slightly blushing but was staring at my father also.

"E-E-Excuse m-me. I d-d-don't want t-to bother T-T-T-Taka-san with m-making h-him walk me h-h-home", she stuttered out while looking at my father and then me.

"Taka would be happy to", my father said while staring at me. I knew he was going to win so I slumped my shoulders and made a mental note to tell mother when I got home tonight.

My father smiled, while Hitomi looked surprised as I got my sports bag and walked back to her pulling her by her small, bony, pale left hand as I felt my face heat up. "Come on. If we have to get there by nine we should go", I muttered in a not so excited voice.

It took her a minute to realize what was happening before she bowed to my father muttering, "G-Goodbye H-Honjou-senshu!" Her face was covered in a dark blush as I dragged her out of the baseball field and into the parking lot in where I dropped her hand.

"BE CAREFUL YOU TWO! DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS AND CALL IF YOU NEED ANYTHING TAKA!" My father screamed from at least ten kilometers behind us.

"I KNOW, I KNOW DAD! WE'LL BE CAREFUL!" I screamed back; hurting my vocal cords in the process of screaming.

"ALSO YOU TWO DON"T KISS YET! I BET YOUR MOTHER WOULD ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR FIRST KISS, TAKA!" My father screamed back as an after thought.

I was 100% sure that I would tell mother this and make father in trouble.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hope you liked it. Please review and until I get four more reviews or story alerts than I'm not posting the next chapter. Also chibi shadow readers are allowed. Also go to my profile and vote for my poll. Please and thank you. I like this story a lot. The next chapter includes Taka's and Hitomi's walk to her house. I think it will be a short and simple chapter where we see into Hitomi's and maybe Taka's thought's and learn about our shy, mysterious, sports loving girl! ^_^ Review please and vote please with Taka, Shin, and Hiruma shirtless on top. If that doesn't get you to do it then nothing will!

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	3. Walking Home: Socializing

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry any one who reads this! I know I took forever to update. I finally got my five reviews and would love to thank everyone who reviewed. I love how this chapter came out and I'm glad I didn't rush it like I had originally planned. Also thank you to everyone who voted on my poll. I actually decided that Karin should stay as quarterback and I only got two poll voters but it doesn't matter. The next chapter, which I haven't even planned out yet, will be out maybe in a few days. Also I know that no one will read this chapter until I post chapter four and five because it won't seem like I updated at all to this website.

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Eyeshield 21. I don't own the characters or plot parts I will use in the later future. I also don't own Greenery Day, it's a real holiday that is celebrated in Japan on April 26th of every year. Now on with the story. I don't own Hitomi's last name or brother who should be obvious by now. The romantic scene came from Hana Kaitani.**

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Previously In Chapter Two:

_I was 100% sure that I would tell mother this and make father in trouble._

**SPORT'S THAT MADE TAKA CHANGE**

By: Soraea

_Chapter Three: Walking Home: Socializing_

Hitomi Sakuraba's POV

The walk home was no doubt one of the weirdest moments in my life. I generally didn't walk home with a male, lest Taka-san. But I just couldn't say no to Honjou-senshu. I'm just too soft to say no and disagree with someone, except for a few trivial subjects I could stand up and fight for what I believed, well sometimes. I just wish that I could just loose some of my 'innocent' traits. Well my traits were too innocent for my age of twelve and three moths old but just the right amount of innocence for a four or five year old but certainly not a twelve year old.

Taka-san was reading an orange book on catching while my head was lowered looking at the pavement as we steadily walked in a swift pace. Our dirty clothes smothered with patches of mud and grass stains were swayed by the cool, temperate, soothing wind. The night sky was sprinkled with light little stars and a full moon. Tonight was very beautiful and romantic and that is why I had a certain disliking to tonight.

Romance has never been big on me. I've gotten love letters from sweet boys but I reject them all saying that being friends would be better but the boys get too depressed and don't talk to me or if they are cocky they still hit on me or if they take the rejection bad they bully me. The girls think I'm an artificial fake girl who wants all the guys, which is completely wrong. I just want some loyal friends or even some acquaintances, yet no matter how hard I honestly tried I wasn't getting anywhere or even close to anywhere for I was just making enemies not friends.

My right shoulder was becoming extremely painful and unbearable as it was the one supporting my heavy, overloaded, boyish sport's bag. My left hand held a loose hold on my cellphone as we kept walking. I decided that the best option right now was to switch my sport's bag from my right shoulder to my left shoulder before my right shoulder snapped off or I lost all feeling in my right shoulder with the heavy weight of my sport's bag.

I swiftly moved my sport's bag from my right shoulder to my left shoulder, which was closer to the now observant Taka-san. I felt a heated blush rose my pale cheeks and nose. "E-Eh! M-M-My s-sport's b-bag w-was g-g-getting h-heavy s-so I-I'm s-s-switching i-it t-to m-m-my l-left s-shoulder", I whispered unable to make my voice louder with his attention directed entirely on me. I must have sounded quite dumb to Taka-san for I stuttered on every single word like I was mentally disordered and my voice level was just too soft. I gave myself a few mental slaps as I kept muttering in my head, "Great Hitomi-chan. Just great. You keep embarrassing yourself in front of the Honjou's! Now they probably think something's wrong with you even though there is. Just great!"

"………….." Taka-san just kept looking at me and I him. I quickly looked down as another heated blush took over my entire face. I didn't want to repeat the after tryout experience again. It was just too embarrassing. I still felt Taka-san's gaze on me and once I thought about it, it really wasn't as bad as I assumed it would be. He wasn't glaring at me or pitying me. He was just staring at me like he was confused about me and he wanted to maybe figure me out which was sweet considering the fact that most people usually did not want to find out about the real me and my little, surprising, secrets.

A little giggle escaped my lips. Taka-san wasn't going to be able to figure me out without me telling everything about me to him myself. Taka-san just looked even more confused and well I would be lying if I said he didn't look cute, chibi cute. The giggles just kept erupting through me until I was giggling non-stop.

I covered my treacherous mouth with my bony right hand. Taka-san's cheeks were stained with a pale pink as he turned back to look straight ahead and read. I think I just made Taka-san mad. That's not a good situation to get into.

Taka Honjou's POV

Hitomi was giggling out of no where and well it was in a sense, cute. She looked more like a five year old than a twelve year old and it fit her quite well. I knew that my face was probably flushed in a light pink so I turned my head so Hitomi wouldn't be able to see it. I started to read my book on catching.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry, T-T-T-Taka-san", Hitomi shyly whispered from beside me. I turned to look at her and froze to a stop. Her head was hung and she was bowing, quite low. Her hair was acting as a curtain for her ever hidden face.

A sigh escaped my lips before I asked, "For what, Hitomi-san?" I knew that she was going to apologize for giggling.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry f-for g-g-giggling a-at y-you", she apologized as she looked up, a frown was plastered on her face, and a small blush colored on her nose.

"It's okay", I muttered as I started to walk away, not bothering to wait for her.

"T-T-Thank y-you T-T-Taka-san", she said, louder, as her feet scurried along the pavement. I felt her next to me.

Hitomi Sakuraba's POV

Taka-san was so nice, no I couldn't judge his attitude already, forgiving, yes. From the little yet many encounters I've had with him, I can say that his character is very forgiving and patient because to be able to have never lashed out at me you really needed to be patient and forgiving. So when Taka-san forgave me I was more than grateful that he hadn't said anything rude.

Again the next five minutes were quite uneventful and filled with a comfortable, rare because I hardly found any silence comfortable, silence as we kept walking. I looked at the night sky, my hands wrung behind my back as I hummed, quietly of course as not to disturb Taka-san, an Italian lullaby song that my father used to hum to me all the time. It was quite peaceful and went perfectly well with my surroundings.

"What are you humming?" Taka-san's monotone voice inquired.

I felt myself blush slightly, dumb blush, as I whispered, dump voice, "A-A l-l-lullaby."

"It sounds Italian", Taka stated emotionless. It was really strange how he all of a sudden started talking like he couldn't care less about you, whoever he was talking to, when he started sixth grade. It made me wonder if something had happened, because I usually the last informed about the news, to him. I could ask my aunt. Maybe she knew.

"Y-Yes i-i-it i-is", I replied softly as I looked at him.

"Do you like Italian music?" He asked. Curiosity, a very small dose, hidden behind his usually monotone voice.

I nodded my head, not trusting my incredulous voice. I decide to add, "I love Italy." I gave myself a high five as I thought, "Good job Hitomi! Hito-kun you rock! You didn't stutter at all! That's the first time you didn't stutter when directly talking to Taka-san! Now he'll think your at least sane! Wait! Why should I even care? It's just Taka-san!"

"Italy has good books, plays, arts, and classical music." Taka-san once again stated almost in awe, well if you listened close enough you could hear the awe.

"I-I k-know! I-I-It i-is s-so c-c-cool!" I exclaimed. My voice had back stabbed me and reverted to its stuttering tactics.

"There history is amazing as well. The Roman gods and goddess even though they were adopted from the Greeks, was amazing." Taka-san said. He lowered his book so that I could only see his piercing gaze. He eyes almost looked happy, almost being the key word again.

"I-It i-i-is! I l-l-love A-A-Artemis-san a-and A-A-Apollo-san!" I replied. Despite my religion, Evangelistic Christianity, I loved the Roman/Greek gods and goddess and the myths they had to offer. I didn't believe in them but I loved them. It was like enjoying the taste of cake but resisting the taste of the main meal that included vegetables.

"I like them but my favorite has to be Athena. She's brilliant and proves that women can be strong." Taka-san stated as he returned to reading.

"S-She does. I-It's t-truly a-a-amazing", I said in awe, at Taka-san for believing in woman's rights. It was nice to know that he thought of us as equals rather than males being the dominant gender. Sure men were made first but God made us equals.

"Yes. I know. Let's go." Taka-san said as he resumed to his normal self. Normal as in reading his book, forgetting I was in his presence, and talking in a bored tone. He just ended one of the most casual conversations I ever had with anyone that wasn't my family. It felt so good.

I nodded and I'm pretty sure he didn't see it.

The rest of the walk home was uneventful except that I once again switched my sport's bag from my right shoulder to my left then Taka-san grabbed it and muttered something along the lines of 'annoying noise'. He then rested it on his right shoulder. I had muttered 'thank you' and felt a blush take over my face, a violent blush.

Then two minutes after that my aunt called me for the second time today. I told her that Taka-san's dad had wanted to talk to me and it took a while before I could leave.

"You shouldn't be walking home by yourself Hitomi at this time. Do you want me to drive somewhere to pick you up?" My aunt, Kimi's, uncharacteristically, worriedly asked. Her sweet voice sang through the phone to my left ear. Her voice was confident, sure, lovely, brave, soothing, and assuring; nothing like mines. Our voices were as different as Yin and Yang and yet she stilled loved my overly soft voice while I loved her assuring fun voice. Sometimes I wonder how we were related. We were so amazingly different; I quiet, soft, naïve, easily depressed, and friendless while she was perfect, too perfect to describe and it hurt because she was my aunt and it was over bearing to know that I was just a shadow of my aunt; a shadow of all my relatives; a disgrace to all my family; a burden to my aunt; but probably the worse was that I was a pathetic excuse that took the life of a probably great person and while I lived his life I was being the disgrace in the background, the loner, failure, worthless girl and it stung.

"N-No, i-it's o-o-okay", I muttered into the phone. My aunt had always told me that my stutter was normal and extremely cute and she wished that it would never leave me. I had took it quite offensively because my stutter was a bad omen not an innocent blessing. My aunt had then said that she had wished she hadn't lost her stutter when she was younger. I had almost laughed, almost because it was rude to laugh at people, but I couldn't conceal it and covered my mouth to stifle my traitorous giggles. My aunt had smiled and told me she got that a lot. Who wouldn't laugh when one of the most enthusiastic people you would ever know told you that they used to have a bad case of the stutter's when they were younger? I sure couldn't help myself.

"Why are you stuttering, Hitomi? Who's with you? Are you being held against your will? Are you hurt? HITOMI WHERE ARE YOU?" My aunt's loud voice boomed with concern. My hearing was getting damaged. Did my aunt already forget that I had sensitive hearing? She probably did. She always did when I was in some danger or believed I was and it usually was the latter.

"A-Ah! W-W-Well T-T-Taka-san i-is w-walking me h-h-home", I muttered as a small blush painted itself on my cheeks and nose again. Just thinking about letting a guy, who wasn't related to me, walk me home was over bearing for my small belittle heart. My actual cardiac heart was, and has been, thumping hardly against my fragile ribcages. It hurt so much but it just wouldn't pass. If Taka-san heard my heart he had said nothing to me about it. "T-T-Taka-san's f-father a-asked h-h-h-him to!" I exclaimed as an afterthought. I didn't nor wanted my aunt to get any idea's. She already had her suspicions about Taka-san and I for we lived near each other, went to the same school, had all our classes together, and seemed to be interested in the same fads. She had collected all of this information from when we talked to each other at younger ages. We had been fond of each other dearly, no that was too fond of a word, more like friendly, though were have never been friends. We just weren't the two type of people who hit it off and immediately became friends. Nope not with my shy attitude and his loner attitude, not that I wasn't a loner either sometimes. We just didn't hit it off except when we were younger and it was easier to ignore the small problems and school. When you were happy and positive and nothing possibly could go wrong. When you had a secret crush that almost always liked you back. When no one was an outcast and almost everyone got along. Which none of them existed in reality. I was the outcast when I was younger, I had to worry about all problems no matter how small or how big, school was horrible and painful, I crushed a lot of boys dreams, I really didn't get along with anyone, everything could go wrong for me, my positive level was so high that it was past plain sane optimism but I mean my life had never been perfect or close to perfection for me but it could have been better. How? There was always another situation in these type of fairytales; bullies. They were all around us and no matter where you were there sure to be people with a disliking for you.

"Oh. So you and Taka-kun are hitting it off now?" My aunt's sly reply echoed through my phone.

My face heated up and a smile, that made no sense, curled up on my lips. "N-No! H-H-He's only w-w-walking m-me h-h-home!" I exclaimed as I waved my free, right, hand back at fort despite that she couldn't see it.

She giggled through the phone before saying, "I just know you're doing something cute like waving your right hand back and fort even though I can't see it. Your probably blushing heavily too."

My aunt, like most of my close family members, could read my mind and predict what I would probably do. Though they knew a lot about me they didn't know all of me at all and I felt cynical not telling them the other secret parts of me but it was too embarrassing. They would never think of me the same and I wouldn't blame them.

I gave my aunt a 'Hmph' through the phone and she giggled. Laughing about me probably acting cute and all.

"I'll leave you and Taka-kun to your privacy! Bye!" My aunt exclaimed. Every word sounding angelic and young, slightly putting me back into my previous depression.

"E-E-Eh a-aun-" I was cut off by the sound of the phone beeping loudly in my ear. My aunt had just hanged up on me. She wasn't trying to be rude but I just ignored it all together because it was her way of making fun of me which I hardly found funny but then I found a few situations funny.

A sigh erupted through my body and I decided to look at the beautiful sky tonight. I would have to remember this day specifically for it was so beautiful.

The rest of the way back was quiet, sincerely quite, and beautiful. It was amazing. It was actually very easy to be near the usually loner Taka-san. It was even, dare I say, fun. I actually enjoyed it and thought that maybe I should do this with Taka-san some other time. It's nice having someone else who isn't family with me.

The mere thought made me blush in embarrassment and shame, another small smile curled onto my lips, my heart was beating harder against my ribcage, I was elated with happiness, a tingling feeling was churning in the depths of my stomach, my breathing hitched for a second to only resume quicker, I felt nervous not to make Taka-san mad, I felt like I was in heaven, my hands became sweaty, my belittle imaginary heart smiled, the little cracks fixed, and I felt bliss. That only meant one thing. Only one problem would make me feel this way. Only one; I was sick with some new illness. Oh great but I didn't mind the feeling it gave me. I actually loved it so much but I needed to figure out why this only happened when I was forced with Taka-san.

"Were here", Taka-san nonchalantly said as he brought me back to the cruel fate of what we call reality. I didn't mind the fact that Taka-san always talked indifferently around me, actually around everyone minus family, because one of my relatives did that a lot and honestly I didn't mind.

"O-Oh." I mange to stutter on a one word sentence. I looked up to meet Taka-san's gaze. I smiled lightly at Taka-san who really didn't return it but I didn't mind, actually I did, deep inside.

Taka-san gave me back my sport's bag and I shyly smiled.

"T-T-Thank y-y-you T-T-T-Taka-san", I stuttered dumbly again. Taka-san just nodded his head imperturbably as he shut his book with his hand.

"BOOM! BANG! KABOOM! BOOM!" Could be heard from the sky. I jumped in surprise and fear. I never liked loud sounds and or anything that reminded me of thunder noises. They were over bearing and quite simply scary. Fireworks had erupted through the sky in tens. They colored the sky with mostly green but there were flashes of pink and yellow; spring colors. Flowers decorated the night sky dimming the beautiful light of the night stars. The air smelled of smoke and burned objects; it disturbed my sensitive nose a lot. I wrinkled it to try and eliminate the putrid smell from invading my nose; my attempts were futile though as the smell just stayed if anything worsened. The only part of fireworks I enjoyed was watching them light up the sky in their neon bright colors otherwise I disliked everything else, the smell, working them, lighting them, their sound, and the danger involved. So I had to wonder why there were fireworks at this time, fireworks were only used on important national holidays not really for fun.

Today was April 29th and so it made sense. It was Greenery Day. It was okay holiday and probably was one of my favorite holidays if you minus the fireworks.

I stared at Taka-san who was looking up at the neon green sky. His gaze was still impassionate and with held any emotion but he almost looked peaceful. Almost and it was relaxing. It brought a small smile unto my face and I felt the tingling in my stomach, that had recently resided to almost nothing, restart. I felt at peace, despite my fear and discomfort of my current situation, looking at Taka-san's face.

I walked next to Taka-san silently as not to disturb is peaceful expression. When I was extremely close to his face, even though he was taller than me by a huge margin, I tapped his right shoulder.

He turned to look at me. His left eyebrow was arched at our close proximity. I smiled gently and stood on the tip of my toes to kiss, more like a peck, Taka-san's right cheek. He looked surprised and then looked like he was embarrassed.

No One's POV: 

"H-H-Happy G-Greenery D-Day, T-T-Taka-san", Hitomi Sakuraba's soft voice whispered to a stunned Taka-san. Her face was engulfed in a blood red blush and she was toying with her hands. She looked down at the pavement as if it was the best creation since chocolate was made, which it wasn't.

"You too", Taka nonchalantly said as he regained his posture.

"T-Thank you a-again", Hitomi muttered as she looked up at Taka. A shy smile adorned her pink lips.

"Whatever", Taka said back though his indifferent façade was cracking a bit as he smiled down at the shorter, petite, fragile, shy girl. Though almost invisible it was still seen by the receiptant.

Hitomi seeing that Taka was responding to her smile, smiled wider and giggled as she bowed.

She scurried to her door in a good mood and unlocked the door with the key she had pulled out of her sport's bag. Her smile never wavering. She unlocked the door and stepped inside to only turn around and wave back at Taka, who was still there, in Hitomi's aunt's drive way.

She waved goodbye at Taka and Taka turned around and started to walk to his, not too far, home as they were neighbors. He put his left hand up as a sign of goodbye to Hitomi.

One thought ran through both twelve year olds; "Something is wrong with my stomach and heart." Though Taka knew what it really meant, Hitomi was, as usual, dense with sweetness and insane optimism.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for reading and I hope you forgive me for not posting this sooner. This is my favorite chapter and I like how Hitomi is coming off as. Sweet and innocent on the outside and inside yet hiding secrets unknown to her loved ones, cynical. I have great news for any Eyeshield 21 lover like me; there will be an extra chapter that shows what happened to the other characters of Eyeshield 21! It comes out December 2009! I'm so happy because it gives me something to actually live for. If you love any of the Teikou Alexander members as much as I do, which I bet you don't, look out for my Eyeshield 21 stories that will be posted soon. They're all Teikou Alexander encentric. If you want to read the summaries and motivate me to write them go to my profile and scroll down, ignore all the junk about copy and paste, and looking for story ideas for Eyeshield 21. Also if you love Takeru Yamato X Karin Koizomi as much as I do, PM or tell me in your review. Please review. I'm making no more promises about update. I'm going on vacation soon, less than a week from now, and school starts the following week for me and I'm nervous because I hate school but I don't exactly love home either. After this Hitomi won't be so love blinded as I made her. This will probably be the most love struck moment until their sixteen. I'm going to focus on Taka and hope for the best because writing his character is hard. I have a bunch of good ideas and can't wait to type them. Taka will be in love first but Hitomi will be confused about her feelings. They also form a relationship that Hitomi loves with her heart. I know I'm giving out almost the whole storyline but I promise you'll be suprised by what happens. Reveiew please!**

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